End predictor for cassette tape

Sato

[45] Aug. 23,1977

[54] END PREDICTOR FOR CASSETTE TAPE

[75] Inventor: Masaaki Sato, Hachioji, Japan

[73] Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

[21] Appl. No.: 690,539

[22] Filed: May 27, 1976

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

June 5, 1975 Japan 50-68024

June 10, 1975 Japan 50-69968

June 10, 1975 Japan 50-69969

Sept. 10, 1975 Japan 50-109732

[51] Int. C1.2 G06M 3/02

[52] U.S. CI 235/92 PE; 235/92 DN;

235/92 R; 360/137; 242/191

[58] Field of Search 235/92 PE, 92 DN, 103,

235/132 A, 132 E; 33/137 R; 242/191; 360/74,

137, 96

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,449,733 6/1969 Berquist 360/137

3,687,397 8/1972 Suzuki et al 235/103

3,770,281 11/1973 Walburn 360/137

3,834,648 9/1974 Rose et al 235/92 DN

3,872,509 3/1975 Yoshii 360/137

3,921,215 11/1975 Asami 360/74

3,946,437 3/1976 Ono 360/137

Primary Examiner—Joseph M. Thesz

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb &

Soffen

[57] ABSTRACT

An end predictor is provided for use with a tape cassette of the type which contains a measured length of tape corresponding to a given number of turns on one of the tape hubs mounted therein when the tape is entirely wound on one of the hubs, exclusive of its leader portion extending to the other hub. A tape cassette of this type is indicated by an indication aperture formed in the cassette. When such cassettte is mounted in a tape recorder, the end predictor operates to count the number of revolutions of either take-up shaft or rewind shaft on which the respective tape hubs are mounted, thereby providing an alarm when a predetermined count is reached. Thus a prediction is provided of a terminal end of the cassette tape at a given time interval before the terminal end is actually reached. The detection of the indication aperture is effective to reset a counter arrangement which is associated with a record/playback operation of the recorder.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures